Anthony Arthur Ranni

1918 - 2010

Anthony Arthur "Tony" Ranni passed away peacefully at home in Oxnard on November 9, 2010 at the age of 92.

Tony was the son of Italian immigrants and truly personified the American dream. His parents, Rafael and Maria, emigrated from Abruzzi, Italy. Tony was born in the Bronx on January 1, 1918, the twelfth of thirteen children. He attended Stuyvesant High School, a New York City public school that specializes in mathematics and science. Admission to "Stuy," even then, was by highly competitive examination only. The school was on Manhattan's East Side and Tony commuted there daily from the Bronx for classes. Tony's success there was the first of many in his long life. After school he played basketball at the YMCA, from his height of 5'6", it was a good thing, he reported, that the nets were set lower then.

As a young man Tony worked on Wall Street; he started as a page and runner and was steadily promoted. While holding down his job, he also attended a year at Fordham Law School, however, his legal aspirations were cut short by the start of World War II. He enlisted in the Navy and was stationed in Davisville, Rhode Island where he met Anna "Annie" Rose Patalano, his future bride, at a dance in Providence.

Later, Tony was stationed in Joliet, Illinois where he and Annie moved -- as newlyweds and then to Port Hueneme, California where he mustered out of the Navy at the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Tony continued to work for the United States Navy, in civil service in Port Hueneme, where his work centered on the Navy's early development of its computer systems, starting with punch cards. Once again in his life, Tony was steadily promoted, for which he always shared credit with his beloved wife, Annie, who hosted many a fine Italian dinner for Tony's work associates.

Tony retired but did not retire for long; he went on to become a licensed real estate broker and a developer of commercial and residential real estate projects. When Tony finally retired, he remained active, enjoying regular rounds of golf (especially those holes-in-one!) and attending Oxnard Ballroom Dance Club and other social events at which he danced every dance. Tony learned to cook Italian food from Annie, and he hosted many a delicious/memorable meal for family and friends over the years. When Annie's health declined, her care was his first priority and when she died in 2007 he was at her side, holding her hand.

He is survived by his daughter, Lucianne Ranni, his "other daughter," Victoria Helton, and his many nieces and nephews, including Maria (Ranni) and Kit Somal and Joe and Mirtha Diglio. Tony touched the lives of many in his long life, and will be remembered as a good and honorable man with a ready smile.

Very special thanks to Irma Pulido, who assisted Tony and Annie for over ten years, Vanessa Luna who cared for both Annie and Tony and Roger Montiel who cared for Tony in his final days.

Donations may be made in Tony's name to Stuyvesant High School Scholarship Program, 160 Convent Ave., Shepard Hall Rm. 166, New York, NY 10031.